Use of AI – Legitimate Music Creation?
When I highlight my use of Ace Studio, an AI music platform, I have people questioning whether that means my music is “artificial.” Ì understanding the concern, noting that many Music AI sites boast the ability to complete song development and arrangement preparation with just a few prompts and song ideas inputted.
First, let me go through the normal process I would go through as a songwriter.
- I focus my effort on writing song lyrics and setting it to a melody that matches the lyric dynamic. In the work, I would employ my limited keyboard skills and vocal skills to prepare an initial audio file that has the basic song.
- I would take that song (lyric and melody) to a music studio where I vocalist who has an attractive vocal expression and where instrumentation would be added to replace my initial keyboard work. Professionals would make sure the vocals and instrumentation being the song to a professional level.
- Once that vocal and instrumentation work is completed, a professional mixing and mastering process would take place that balances and enhances each part (stem) of the musical composition to make sure all blends properly.
- After all this, the song is ready for distribution.
All that said, the question becomes who does each step, and which steps are now completed by. The AI programs.
- In full AI development processes, whwere the music is completely processed through AI
- The program develops the song lyric and melody
- The program decides on vocals and instrumentation and prepares all arrangements
- The epigram then completes mixing and mastering.
In the AI aided process I use and many fellow songwriters are using, the creative work of writing the lyric and melody are the work of the songwriter – not a program. I employ some collaboration tools to brainstorm on lyrics, but I make all of the final decisions re what the final output will be.
Once I have a song I believe is ready for the next step, instead of working with a music studio to handle the vocal, and instrumentation development process, I rely on the Ace Studio program to complete that processing. The program does a masterful job at helping me select a voice to sing the song and gives me extensive control in selecting the music style, instrument mix, and arrangement details. I have the ability to instruct the program on final details before releasing the song.
Once satisfied with the arrangement, Ace Studio completes an extensive mixing and mastering process that supports release of a final version that I have found acceptable for direct export to SoundCloud.
While I would agree that anyone who relies on AI to complete all development (including lyric and melody) could legitimately be criticized as being “artificial.” However, I would argue that the process I use and many other so writers use is simply the use of alternative arrangement and production resources.